DEB 36

“…Not a single day goes by smoothly, really.”

“Sorry.”

All Huiyun could say in response to Huigang’s heavy mumbling, as he woke up holding his forehead like he was suffering from a hangover, was an apology. Even if he had a hundred mouths, he had nothing to say. The situation was absurd to him, so how much more absurd must it have been to Huigang?

When he confessed that he couldn’t refuse despite feeling sorry, Huigang gave him an understanding look.

“If the guild master himself said that, he must have been firm. Even if it were someone else, they would have reluctantly accepted. After all, it’s the guild master’s, Mr. Juan’s, and Mr. Nameless’s unilateral decision, so it’s not something you should apologize for. What I’m curious about is….”

Huigang stopped speaking and glanced towards the closed door. Huiyun realized he was checking for the presence of any observers and spread his detection ability widely. Like a net, his ability spread out in all directions. After focusing on this sense for a moment with his eyes closed, Huiyun reported the situation.

“There’s no surveillance.”

Maybe because they would be spending time together, they were given some freedom this time, or perhaps there was another reason, but there were no guards from the three hunters guarding the room or the vicinity of the hospital.

Huigang nodded and spoke slowly.

“What I’m curious about is why those people are so obsessed with you. They aren’t idle people, so it’s strange for them to go this far. And those three could have taken you without anyone noticing. No matter how coercive, why would they need to ask for permission like this? There are plenty of people who would move at their command. But they are showing at least minimal courtesy to you. There must be a reason for that.”

Despite his discomfort, Huigang accurately assessed the situation. Huiyun flinched in front of Huigang’s sharp insight. It was an instinctive reaction to avoid revealing his secret. 

Seeing his reaction, Huigang’s gaze sharpened.

“You know something, don’t you?”

It was a question filled with certainty that would easily dismiss any denial on his part.

“Uh….”

Huiyun scratched the back of his neck, looking troubled. He thought showing his discomfort might get him some leniency, but it didn’t work.

 Huigang seemed determined.

“Ha…”

A long sigh escaped.

Alright, it’s time to have a proper conversation.

Just because he was his older brother didn’t mean he should always clean up after him without knowing anything. It shouldn’t be like that.

“First, I want to know what you know, brother.”

To continue the conversation without making mistakes, he needed to know how much the other person knew. Fortunately, Huigang honestly shared what he knew without much suspicion or ulterior motives.

“Not much. I just know that you have a special power. I recently found out that you are the savior.”

Of course, he had noticed that much. As what he had vaguely guessed turned out to be true, Huiyun pointed out that Huigang had been testing him.

“You knew everything and still brought up the savior talk to test me?”

“You had such an ability and kept it a secret from me?”

“…”

“Moreover, you went out and got hurt using that ability and even brought strange people back. The one who should be angry here is me, not you, Huiyun.”

He realized belatedly that arguing would only end in defeat.

There was no one completely innocent or without fault in this room, but there was someone who was more guilty. When Huiyun looked away, staring at his toes, Huigang sighed and dropped the unproductive topic.

“I’m not blaming you. I just wanted to hear what you’re hiding. How much I can know.”

Huigang pulled a chair closer and patted the back of Huiyun’s hand to soothe him. The unwavering tone of his voice hinted at his determination and innocence. Huiyun pondered.

How much could he tell?

He couldn’t talk about Yasha and Yasha’s disciples. It was one thing to be treated like a lunatic, but knowing about Yasha, who no longer existed in this world, wouldn’t benefit humanity.

Sometimes knowledge itself is a great power, so the fewer people who knew about Yasha, the better it was for humanity.

So Huiyun decided to speak vaguely and indirectly.

“It seems like I inherited the ability of someone who was great in the past. The original owner of that ability seems to be related to the S-classes. All three of them are looking for someone with the same ability I have. They mistake me for that person.”

“Wait, what do you mean you inherited the ability? I thought you just awakened it?”

Huigang raised a hand to stop the conversation, his puzzled eyes scanning Huiyun’s face.

“I didn’t awaken it.”

Huiyun glanced at the awakening invitation floating in front of his eyes and sat on the bed.

“I didn’t awaken. I just inherited the power. If I awakened, I could handle it more completely, but it didn’t feel right, so I refused.”

“Good job.”

“Huh?”

Did I hear that right?

He was expecting Huigang, as a hunter, to question why he didn’t awaken and endure the side effects, like coughing up blood. But instead, he received praise. Could it be that Huigang didn’t know that coughing up blood was a penalty?

That couldn’t be. Huigang wasn’t that dull. With his wit and insight, he must have known that Huiyun suffered from various pains every time he used his power.

As Huiyun looked confused, Huigang stroked his hair and smiled bitterly.

“Your frequent illnesses are because you refused to awaken, right? Considering that, I’d want to tell you to awaken immediately instead of enduring your sickness. But if the power you use now is this strong, fully inheriting it might be too overwhelming. If both choices involve penalties, it’s wiser to choose the lighter one. At least the penalty from not awakening doesn’t kill you.”

“…You already figured it out.”

He was right. Using Yasha’s abilities without awakening resulted in symptoms like vomiting, coughing up blood, high fever, and fainting, but those symptoms eventually subsided. However, the responsibilities that came with awakening were different. They wouldn’t disappear just by enduring.

They were something that had to be borne forever.

Without any detailed explanation, Huigang had already clearly understood why Huiyun hadn’t awakened.

It was touching, yet slightly chilling.

With a slightly shuddering face, Huiyun leaned back against the bed. 

Yipp. 

Huigang’s gaze shifted to the sound of the silver fox crying on his shoulder.

“Is that fox related to your abilities?”

“This is a reward I got this time.”

“It looks special.”

“It helps detect misfortune and gates, things like that.”

“That’s good.”

“…Is that all?”

“Hm?”

“Aren’t you going to ask more?”

If he were Huigang, he would have persistently inquired about Siho’s identity and the nature of the inherited ability, but Huigang didn’t. When asked out of curiosity, Huigang, who had been meeting his gaze, chuckled.

“There’s nothing more to ask. You’ll tell me someday anyway. Besides, even if I ask now, you probably wouldn’t tell me.”

“…”

“I’ll just let it go like this. You seem to be struggling as it is.”

His words, lightly spoken with a smile, were so accurate that Huiyun felt a bit awkward. Huiyun quietly lifted the corners of his mouth without denying or affirming.

It seemed he could relax a bit more. If Huigang knew everything and was still pretending to be fooled, there was no need for him to feel guilty.

As Huiyun’s expression softened, Huigang brought up the original topic again.

“Did you try explaining the misunderstanding?”

“I did. But you saw how stubborn they are. They said they need to watch me closely for about a month and observe my abilities before they can believe it.”

Judging by their demeanor, it didn’t seem like it would end in a month, but Huiyun had to say this to reassure Huigang.

After a moment of thoughtful silence, Huigang gently stroked the back of Huiyun’s hand.

“What do you want to do?”

“Does what I want to do even matter?”

“Just talk about it. I’m your brother. You’re supposed to tell your brother everything like that.”

So I can find a way.

It was only after his additional comment that Huiyun realized the intent behind the question. Huigang was essentially asking for a guidepost. He wanted to know how to act and where to go when faced with a crossroads.

What should I do?

Huiyun frowned in thought and lowered his voice. Although it was a method he wanted to avoid as much as possible, if things went to the worst, he had no other choice.

“…I’ll play along for a while, see how things go, and if it seems hopeless, I’ll plan to escape with you.”

“With me?”

“Yes. When the time comes, you should leave the guild too. It will be tough to manage mana hypersensitivity without hospital treatment, but I won’t die. The system might even make me healthier. Let’s stay low until we’re sure, then seize the opportunity and escape.”

Living near Jiwook, Nameless, and Juan meant there was no way he could live  an ordinary life.

It was unimaginable to have a leisurely life, sleeping in on weekends, rolling around in bed, and having a late lunch, and instead, they would face life-threatening situations dozens of times a month.

That wasn’t the future Huiyun wanted.

He didn’t want to push Huigang into such a future either.

“Yasha.”

A faint voice brushed through his mind. Feeling a twinge near his heart, Huiyun lowered his head, grimacing.

Be realistic, Mok Huiyun. You’re not going to carry them with you forever.

He was both Yasha and Mok Huiyun, but more Mok Huiyun than Yasha. He needed to focus on his current life more than his past one. If he regained all his memories, it would be right to formally bid farewell to his disciples or at least leave a letter of apology before disappearing.

He couldn’t share their destiny, and they had grown too much to be with him.

…Is it the right choice to regain my memories?

Suddenly, a slight fear washed over him.

Just recalling memories of Ash, Vina, and Moot had shaken him this much. If he remembered the remaining three disciples and fully synchronized with Yasha, could he still make the same choices?

He wasn’t sure.

He might be able to make a more rational decision or be trapped by the regrets of his past life, making a foolish choice.

However, to overcome the impending crisis, he couldn’t afford not to find his memories.

The die has already been cast. Huiyun patted the crying Siho’s head and spoke, and Huigang, quietly observing his expression, nodded.

“Alright, let’s do as you say. But we’ll continue treating the mana hypersensitivity. Even if we end up escaping, we can hire your attending physician separately.”

“Who can stop you when you’re so stubborn?”

Since Huigang had conceded to him, he had to yield a bit as well. When Huiyun agreed, Huigang, smiling brightly, patted Huiyun’s head.

“I hope that day comes soon.”

“Me too.”

The two brothers, looking at each other, momentarily escaped from the recent chaos and found a rare moment of peace.

***

“So that’s what they said?”

Before leaving, Juan, who had slipped a bugging device under Huigang’s bed, reported to the others with a dull look. The two people who had been eavesdropping on the brothers’ conversation without a sound or even a breath turned their heads at Juan’s words.

Nameless smiled with satisfaction.

“Let’s let him hold onto some hope for now. Since the current Yasha seems incomplete, it’s good for even Yasha to have a bit of hope until he regains all his memories and stabilizes.”

When he said he had no intention of intervening, Juan agreed. On the other hand, Jiwook, who had been lost in thought, drew a hollow, cynical smile.

“So, he’s planning to run away again.”

He intends to leave again.

Muttering quietly, the man’s face was more distorted than ever.